Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Nov 1922-Apr 1923)

Page Ten CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST RAY LEWIS REVIEWS “OUCH,” “THE FLIRT, ‘PEG O’ MY HEART’ 66¢),UCH,” a Cameo Educational Comedy, revolves around a tooth, which will not release its hold. The dentist’s chair holds ne attraction for the sufferer, he has been there, accompanied by his wife, but his exit was more hurried than his entrance; and the wife in despair refuses to see her husband as long as the annoying tooth is a part of his cranium. But annoying teeth are sometimes most annoying in that they refuse to part with the habitation they have so long enjoyed. Home remedies for extraction, such as tying a string and having. some one pull on it suddenly, tying the string to a selzer bottle, a log of wood, the door-knob, leaves that tooth in possession of its birthright. Tying the string to a trolley, which pursues our hero, thereby causing no separation from his affliction, tying the string attached to his tooth to an automobile, results in a mud bath, but the aching, gnawing, grinding, jumping, nerve-wracking, wife-separator, remains unseparated from its domicile. But relief looms in view in the person of a persistent “Haven’t I met you before?” individual. The wife finds that she has not met this stranger, nor does she desire to meet him. The stranger is persistent. Our hero, still accompanied by his tooth, which he could not drown, even when he attached it to.a huge stone which he threw into a lake, appears upon the scene after his swim ‘ashore and _ striking’ the stranger, where strikes are not favorably received, gets in return an uppercut which so impresses the unwelcome tooth, that it leaves involuntarily. “Ouch” is good for many laughs and full of the hokum which gets over. : * Ok Ox 66PNHE, Flirt” is an adaptation of .£ Booth ‘Tarkington’s novel. Directed by Robert Henley and released as an Universal Feature, it has attracted to itself press comments which have been unanimously favorable. When your critic viewed “The Flirt,” it was in the Universal screening room, which does not present a picture to its best advantage. There is no presentation, no music, no atmosphere, just bare facts to look at and criticize; and the bare facts in “The Flirt” caused the reviewer to weep quietly and then copiously. I had a lovely time, for I had the best cry I have had in many moons. I had plenty of opportunity for laughs, for the picture has a heap of them; but the scenes which made me cry, they were the scenes Imost enjoyed. “The Flirt” tells a story which might be written around a great many homes we know. . The pampered, pretty daughter, who selfishly rules until each member of the family awakens to her unutterable selfishness. It is the mother who generally remain blind to the end, but in this case, it happens to be the girl’s father, the father she has almost ruined, financially, the father who faces imprisonment, who pleads that her mother, sister and brothers may forgive her. “The Flirt” appears to be sorry, sincerely sorry for her selfishness, but somehow we realize that the regeneration of her character has not begun. Such characters need a greater shock and hurt to awaken them. Eileen Percy as “The Flirt,’ was an excellent type. Pretty, vain, impetuous, pleasure-loving, catty, insincere, and yet with just that purring and cuddling sweetness, which makes life so easy for this type. Much of the success of the picture is due to her true interpretation of the character. George Nichols was a fatherly father. Helen Jerome Eddy, as the sacrificing, unselfish sister, did a bit of work which was as clean cut as a cameo and is responsible for many of the tears which I shed. Buddie Messenger, as the irrepressible young brother, was a veritable little devil, but since most of his indignation was aroused at the callousness of his “flirty sister,” you felt like saying: “Good for you, Buddie,” most of the time. Whitlock was good as the “Oil Swindler,” Goodwin registered as the unfrilled lover, Bert Roach, persistent but economic as a suitor of “The Flirt,” was the type of man who would not buy a gold brick even after it had been stamped 18 carat by expert authority. The careful man, who was so careful that he married “The Flirt,” after she had been found impracticable by. her other suitors. This part was apparently destined as important, but Roach’s handling places it among the important parts remembered. The appeal of this picture lies in the fact that it is so true to life, so probable and possible. Picture patrons will say it is unique in this respect as most of our screen stories require an elastic imagination to make the story register. Watch Out For A FRONT PAGE STORY THE TRUTH ABOUT GORHAM 66IDEG O’ My Heart,” with Laurette Taylor, who starred in the stage version for many years, played a week’s engagement at Shea’s Hippodrome, week of Jan. 15th. Laurette Taylor’ photographs most beautifully ‘ and will no doubt become a screen favorite since she has a personality which gets over on the screen with magnetic effect. The story is ideal for screen presentation in that it introduces the “Flapper Stage” of Girlhood and allows for all the flapping which picture audiences love in their youthful stars. The story also gives room for emotional bits and serious acting, under which runs the irresistible sparkle of Irish wit. Peg is the daughter of an Irishman who has married an English lady with her consent, but much against the wishes of her family, who do the usual thing, “cut off” these poor relations. You see the objection was not to the Irish addition to the family, but because of this Irishman’s lack of income. Following the death of the rich relation, Peg comes in to a handsome legacy. Rich relations sometimes repent their unfriendly attitude upon the death-bed and Peg’s rich uncle followed this rule. There is a proviso in the will, Peg is to be educated and smoothed into a_ regular English lady. An English aunt is selected for the purpose. The aunt receives the task of educating her neice most ungraciously, and Peg finds much outward culture but little heart culture in her aunt’s household. However, her stay there brings her in contact with a Sir Robert Adair, and when Peg gets over the shock that he happens to have a title, they are married and Peg presented at Court. “Peg O’ My Heart” is a Metro picture. It is excellent entertainment and should please generally. Goldwyn’s “The Christian” Opens Capitol, New York Goldwyn’s production of “The Christian,” scenes taken in dear old London, opens at the Capitol, New York, for a two week’s run, which will in all probability be extended. Reports on this picture are most flattering. The Famous Players Film Service promise an early release here and exhibitors and the public are already beginning to make enquiries. It is said, bad news travel fast, but in the case of an especially noteworthy production, the news that it is good, before it leaves even the cutting room, travels like Radio. Hence all the excitement of anticipation in regard to “The Christian.” Subscribe to “The Digest’’ $2.00 52 Issues Gare Reo Pictures Read The Digest Advertising Fages.